Ben Franklin Bridge (Camden, New Jersey)

The Ben Franklin Bridge is the first, and now one one of several, bridges that spans the Delaware River, connecting Philadelphia with New Jersey. Connecting the city with Camden, New Jersey, the bridge carries Interstate 676 as well as US 30. The bridge was constructed in 1922-1926, with a grand opening on July 1, 1926.

Currently, a $4.00 toll is charged for westbound traffic only. The Ben Franklin Bridge accomodates automobile traffic, pedestrians and bicycles (during certain hours along a raised platform), and a train operated by the Port Authority Transit Corporation (PATCO). It is maintained by the Delaware River Port Authority, which also maintains the Commodore Barry, Betsy Ross, and Walt Whitman Bridges in the area.

The Bridge utilizes a movable traffic barricade system to handle heavy traffic flow by allocating more lanes for automobiles travelling in that direction. This is especially useful for daily rush hours associated with people driving into Philadelphia from New Jersey, and vice versa in the evening. For example, four lanes are allocated during morning rush hour for incoming traffic from New Jersey, and three lanes are allocated for traffic leaving Philadelphia. In the evening, the opposite occurs.

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